1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to batteries enclosures for use in electronic devices; and more particularly to flexible substrates adapted to couple two or more batteries for use in said electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices of several types have long utilized batteries for supply power. In the current state of the art, such batteries are available in a myriad of styles and sizes. However, although a plethora of batteries have been designed and made readily available for various power requirements, the coupling of two or more batteries is often required to supply adequate power for meeting device requirements.
When coupling two or more batteries, or “cells”, several housings, couplers, and adapters have been suggested and utilized in recent years. Most commonly available adapters include a rigid plastic housing and one or more rigid conductive structures embedded or attached within the housing in a manner for receiving and coupling the two or more batteries. These rigid battery couplers generally add bulky volume and unnecessary weight to the electronic device. Furthermore, as prices of raw materials continue to increase these rigid structures having unnecessary bulk become economically unattractive.
There has yet to be provided a low-cost, low-volume, mechanically flexible coupler adapted to receive and couple two or more batteries for use in electronics devices. Such a flexible coupler otherwise referred to herein as a “jacket” will provide an affordable and light-weight versatile means for coupling two or more batteries within an electronic device.